Football Preview: Mount Airy Granite Bears vs. Starmount Rams
Mount Airy is 9-1 against Starmount since August of 2014, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Mount Airy Granite Bears will challenge the Starmount Rams at 7:00 p.m. Both teams are still undefeated (Mount Airy has 21 wins dating back to last season, while Starmount has four).
Mount Airy's defense heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They breezed by North Stokes at home to the tune of 55-0. The match marked the Granite Bears' most dominant win of the season so far.
Taeshon Martin continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 116 yards and two touchdowns on only five carries. He didn't just play on offense: he also made a tackle and defended a pass in addition to snagging an interception which he returned for a touchdown. DJ Joyce was in the mix as well, providing Mount Airy with two touchdowns.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Mount Airy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 316 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 206 rushing yards in 21 consecutive games dating back to last season.
Mount Airy wouldn't let North Stokes keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force three fumbles. It was truly a group effort as Cashtyn Revels, Karson Strickland, and Strickland picked up one apiece.
Meanwhile, Starmount put their dominant defense on display in the team's fourth consecutive shutout on Friday. They blew past Alleghany, posting a 49-0 victory on the road. Given the Rams' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina football rankings (they are ranked 125th, while the Trojans are ranked 294th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Luke Collins was his usual excellent self, throwing for 213 yards and three touchdowns while completing 84.6% of his passes, and also rushing for 35 yards and a touchdown. He also deserves a shoutout for his performance on D, making five total tackles and defending a pass in addition to snagging an interception which he returned for a touchdown. Kinston Crater was another key player, gaining 80 total yards and a touchdown.
Starmount's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. The picks came courtesy of KJ Allen and Collins. Collins is also on a roll when it comes to passing touchdowns, as he's now passed for three or more in the last three games he's played dating back to last season.
Mount Airy's win was their 13th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-0. As for Starmount, their record is now 4-0.
Friday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Mount Airy has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 350.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Starmount struggles in that department as they've been averaging 253.2. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Everything came up roses for Mount Airy against Starmount in their previous matchup back in September of 2023, as the squad secured a 47-15 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Mount Airy since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
